Let's get one thing crystal clear: black people are not, nor have ever been, treated fairly in the United States. When they were forcibly removed from Africa and enslaved by white Americans, whites degraded them to property status. The degradation endured following the passage of the 13th amendment in 1865, which abolished slavery, as the Jim Crow color line divided America. Although the government had granted blacks equality from a legal standpoint, it quickly became evident that racism was so entrenched in American society that if blacks didn’t directly protest injustice, nothing would change, for “taught the same economics, history, philosophy, literature and religion which have established the present code of morals, the Negro’s mind has been brought under the control of his oppressor” (Woodson 10). Whites were unwavering, for they enjoyed the elevated social status and the plethora of accompanying benefits of whiteness, so they exploited legal, illegal, and extralegal tactics to quell black protests. Nevertheless, blacks remained resilient throughout the years, trudging forward and striving for what United States citizenship guaranteed them. Importantly, though, is the fact that words alone weren't sufficient; without collective and sustained action, nothing changed. Consequently, this traditional focus on the social constructs of whiteness and blackness, rather than on shared human condition, has perpetuated a vicious cycle of racism and bigotry that plagues our
In America, a culture of sustained racism and sexism influences foreign policymakers, which results in colonialism and imperialism, the desecration of nations, and militancy. The authors of the articles, Michael L. Krenn and Laura McEnaney, with differing skill sets, provide evidence of racial and gendered bias in foreign policy. In “The Adaptable Power of Racism,” Krenn expertly examines the history of racism within foreign policy; how racism adapted in the face of religious and scientific challenges, and the overall effects of racist foreign policies.1 McEnaney, in “Gender Analysis and Foreign Relations,” provides a lackluster account of the application of gender analysis to foreign policy, specifically in relation to the policies of the Cold War and Spanish-American War.2 The history of racism and sexism in America provide a blueprint for foreign policymakers, where racist militancy and sexist excuses override basic human rights.
What we as a community cannot overemphasize is the fact that we cannot barely undo the legacy of a distinctive system such as apartheid overnight. It is our duty to continuously strive towards nationhood, transformation, reconciliation and as South Africans. Nevertheless, nation states are political constructs and thus have to be continuously molded through social engineering. It is hazardous to our democracy for anyone in this community to hold or possess the view that racism is a given. Since time immemorial all the justifications advanced by apologists of this prejudice have been proven untrue. Despite this, some people in our community are still prone to racism and this is the problem which we should address.
Racism is a serious social menace not only in the US, but also the world over, including Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The situation has escalated to a new high, especially in this twenty-first century where technological advancements have necessitated mass and quick sharing of information (Nairn et al. 188). Indeed, social media elements like Facebook, Snap Chat, Twitter, Instagram, and What Sapp has been core in enhancing globalization and its effects, some of which affect and influence racial discrimination both directly and indirectly. As opposed to the views that racism is real and has gained momentum globally, the work of media has on the other hand chosen to report the manifesting cases on the extreme degrees, so that it appears as though the world has come to a halt because of such discriminations. At a critical approach, scholars have noted that media is a channel that creates awareness about racism, and hence could easily escalate the situation if a critical balance on the news and reports aired to the public are not balanced between estimates and practical occurrences (Baker and Rowe 443). While discussing the subject of racism and racial discrimination, it is not only essential to outline how the situation is apparently but also imperative to confirm that race relations are depicted to be really bad in today’s times but the media tries to persuade people to believe an exaggerated side of the situation.
I chose to write about the racism that people in the United States are experiencing. The United States has the world’s largest economy in the world’s gross domestic product and the United States makes up to roughly about 17 to 22 percent of it. United States’ currency is the most widely used currency in international trade, other countries such as British Virgin Islands, Ecuador, Panama, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Belize use the US dollar as their own currency. America is a mixed economy meaning that both private interests and state interventionism play a role in it. Christianity is the largest religion which makes up about 70.6% and about 25.4% makeup Evangelical Protestant and about 20.8%
In our everyday life, we see some form of racism being portrayed in movies, tv shows, and media. For many of us, it is hard to distinguish and truly uncover the racism being portrayed. There are forms of racism that one can easily see, but it is hard to reveal full insight. For instance, in the film The Help, racism was portrayed because the women working as maids were African American whom worked to pay for their necessities. This film showed how women of color suffered double the hardship because of their race and sex. However, some white women were also discriminated by men and amongst each other. In addition, this could be traced back to the article Take a Closer Look: Racism in Women’s Lives, because it speaks of the different levels in which racism harms an entire society. Also, the article talks about the advantages/privileges that whites have. Although the article and the film are fairly similar, they also have some differences. The film portrays both racism and sexism, and the article focuses on how children’s upbringings develop racism, and how others resist racism. Both the article and the film interrelate with one another.
Racism has been around for many centuries and it has affected many people around the world. Racism affects people mentally and emotionally and can cause many terrible actions to happen to people. Racism happens to every race around the world but the most common and frequent race being affected by racism are the African Americans. African Americans have been affected by racism very harshly throughout centuries and have caused many to have mental and emotional issues. African American women and children have always taken a big toll when it comes to racism. Racism has always been amongst African American women and children and it has been affecting their psychological state of mind.
A time I had to stand up for what I believe in, was during summer of 2016, I got into a heated discussion of how profiling someone verbally can lead to racism. That day I and my African American friend went to the convenience store. One of the customers shouted to the cashier in a disrespectful manner “oh look a thug and a cartel leader, make sure they pay bossman” and I quickly questioned him “ sir you don 't know our history.” He quickly interrupted me by saying “yes I do, your buddies parent 's are black. I 'm sure “coffee grinds” has been to juvenile for committing a crime. I had to protect my friend mostly because he 's shy and afraid to express his opinion around others. At that point it was obvious, the guy was racist. In this
Racism has come to be a very important topic in today’s society. Many are talking about the injustices when it comes mostly when it comes to African-Americans and Caucasians in authority. Many have deemed the incidents of Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Walter Scott, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, the Spring Valley High School video, and even the Charleston Shooting to name a few as reactions to racism. Out of the people talking about these events, only a few really know the meaning of racism and what this grand idea includes. There are many different type of racism such as racial discrimination, institutional, economic, symbolic/modern, cultural, color blindness and othering. The most common forms of racism in today’s society are mainly racial discrimination (social division), institutional (institutionalized racism, state racism, affirmative action, racial profiling, and racism by country), and othering (we are here, they are there; us vs. them).
Racism is defined as ‘prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior’ according to Oxford Dictionary. When talking about racism and discrimination, many people think back to the time of the Jim Crow laws. These laws allowed racial segregation in the southern states of the United States of America. Having separate restaurants, drinking fountains, and even different schools for whites and blacks was all common during the Jim Crow Era. People most likely think back to the violence and riots that were a result of these laws. Although physical violence was a major aspect of the time, most do not realize that mental and emotional abuse was a huge result as well and often times went unnoticed. W.E.B. Du Bois and James Baldwin share that racism not only results in physical abuse, but also mental and emotional abuse which can lead to mental health issues and unique ways of processing the world by describing these effects as diseases.
Societies are corrupt when racism thrives within in them. This is because race separates groups of people by their typical values and morals- what they are raised to think and act upon. Racism is treating an entire race of people differently all based upon stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and active hostility. Race can affect an individual adversely and raise the corruptness of society. A corrupt, racist society can affect how a character grows and what their obstacles are during life. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines point out the oblivious corruptness of their societies due to racism; this is done by shaping characters’ backgrounds, standings in the community of which
Carl Sandburg once said, “Be careful with your words. Once they are said they can only be forgiven, not forgotten.” Not only do words matter in the world, but also words have a connection to being defined as racist due to micro aggression. Racism is discrimination directed against someone of a different race or ethnicity. In society, the viewing of race is seeking a higher status than others. This being said, before saying anything, think twice due to racial inequality with the unfairness in the world. In relations to thinking before one speaks, “The Talk” and “Touching the Earth” are more aimed towards racism such as the way you address police enforcement and prejudgment of other races towards blacks.
As immigration becomes a bigger issue in the United States, so do racial tensions and segregations. A poll conducted by CNN, in 2015 helped to shed light on five separate areas where racial ideology has rapidly changed. Americans are more likely to consider racism a big problem today than they were 20 years ago. When polled in 2016, 49% of Americans said racism is a big problem in the country, up from a mere 28% four years ago. While only 43% of white citizens consider racism a big problem, 66% of blacks and 64% of Hispanics consider it to be an issue, most likely because they are the ones who are affected by the increase in racism. The percentage of those who see racial tensions increasing has grown as well. Almost
In this day and age racism is ingrained within our society no matter your “race”, and or beliefs. It exists, consciously and unconsciously. Racism is a manmade, non-biological, unnatural disease if you will. Whether it is accepted or not humans constantly judge one another for any number of reasons like skin color. Even to a child born this day in age, a certain level of racism is cast in front of their faces, though they may not know what exactly it is. Perhaps they pick up on the ways their parents treat others, or how they speak about them. Surely enough as the child grows, this way of thinking will continue to live on within them. Most likely they don’t even question why they feel a certain way about certain types of people. It simply
Sexism, racism and heterosexism are happening in contemporary America till this day. The media reflects everyday struggles that Americans face based primarily on their gender, race and sexual preferences. Many innocent Americans are getting killed in protests and rallies while they defend their rights. Everyday millions of Americans are faced with backlash from their community, state and even their own country for who they are!
Racism is contagious to society. It has been a growing concern in the United States for many decades now, however, no major improvements are made by any political officials in reducing it. Many individuals of color are treated unfairly just because they are of pigment. Not too long ago, many individuals in the African American communities sparked out in outrage when individuals such as Michael Brown and much more were racially profiled by were brutally attacked by the law enforcers. As a result, racism not only limits individuals of color their freedom and rights but it has further impacts on health. However, when one mentions inequalities and racism, people may look at it in terms of a justice problem, but not much attention is given to how racism and inequalities impact people of color and their lives. Racism needs to be resolved because this issue spontaneous grows across the nation, targeting innocent victims of color and creating long-term health issues.